Lara ponders his role

West Indies captain Brian Lara is considering resigning as his team's leader after finding out that he is a national selector - but no-one ever told him.

During the home series against India, which the West Indies lost when India won the fourth Test in less than three days by 49 runs, Lara had been constantly critical of the selection processes which were not giving him the team he felt he needed to win.

But at the press conference at the end of the match, Lara revealed he received a letter from the West Indies Cricket Board on the day before the fourth Test started.

The letter said he had been a member of the selection panel since May 28, Cricinfo reported.

He said, "I made a couple of phone calls, and I'm totally blanked on certain situations.

"As captain, and not knowing I was a selector, I have to accept and move forward."

Lara said it did not affect his mood going into the match but the inefficiencies it highlighted were 'not becoming' of a team or a board that wanted to move forward.

Lara said he would be reviewing his position as captain.

"There is a meeting coming up in a week and depending on who the selectors are, I'll definitely revisit my decision to captain the West Indies team.

"It's painful what has gone on in the last couple of months, not just the Test matches, but the one-day matches.

"I have West Indies cricket at heart, but it's a situation where my reputation as a captain is being dragged down."